Waitrose Case Study: Examining Leadership Styles and Team Dynamics

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ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR

INTRODUCTION
Organizational behaviour refers to human activity and work progress in the business
organization. The study of individual and group performance, activity and work progress
within the business organization is termed organizational behaviour. It is very important
for the business organization as it shows the areas of the business organization with
respect to human resource and shows the problem for the individual and group if any (Al-
Hussami et al., 2018). It also helps the business organization to understand the behaviour
of their staff and employees as for how they behave and factors which cause their good or
bad behaviour.
For the study, Waitrose business organization is chosen for better understanding the
organizational behaviour within the organization. Waitrose is a supermarket which is
located in the UK and emerged as one of the fastest growing shops in the country. They
have 353 retail shop and 65 little convenience shops in Waitrose. A Waitrose retail
business is the largest employee-owned business enterprise.

PART 1
LO1
P1 & M1 IMPACT OF CULTURE, POLITICS AND POWER OF ORGANIZATION ON
INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM BEHAVIOUR AND PERFORMANCE
The activity of the Waitrose retail business is considered to be vulnerable with the inside as
well outside environmental practices (Kim and Park, 2017). The influence of organizational
behaviour can provide sustainability for the business organization as well helps to
overcome internal and external factors. Organizational behaviour can provide the cultural
commitment with the help of power, culture and politics within the Waitrose retail
business (Müller and Labaronne, 2018). The important factors which influence the
individual and team behaviour and performance of the Waitrose retail business are as
follows:
Influence of Culture
The situation of the Waitrose retail business is mostly overhauled with the activities of the
management which includes effective decision-making. It helps to understand the basic and
general information of the cultural activities of the Waitrose. The administrative culture
with the tactical and strategically measure has been critically examined with the help of the
cultural practice of the Waitrose retail business (Starbuck, 2015).
Handy’s Cultural typology helps to understand the cultural practice within the business
organization. With respect to cultural typology, the culture is referring as Power, Person,
Task and Role culture.

Figure 1: Handy’s Culture
Source: Starbuck, 2015
Power Culture
Power culture helps to gain the view of the various activities which is monitor by
administrative level workers within the Waitrose retail business. This refers to the
administrative employees guided the culture within the organization as well as flows the
commands and carried out activities (Vardi and Weitz, 2016). The Waitrose retail business
often face the problems of personal conflicts in the organization as the nature of the
business is very wide it is very hard to manage all the employees of the business
organization. It minimizes the morale boost of the employees in Waitrose as well many
more conflicts raise with it. It is really needed to take strategic measures like monitor
employees by CCTV cameras and those who create problems strict actions should be taken
against them (Rahim, 2017). Strategic measures are necessary to improve the cultural
activities within the organization as well as set the board for regulating for ensuring
effective cultural activities within the business organization.
Task Culture
Handy's Task Culture refers to the team which creates to assess the particular task activity
within the organization. The team addresses the problem and find out the solution for that.
There is full transparency of the work measure in the Waitrose which gives the clear
indication that the work is meeting with the expectations (Hermann and Pagé, 2016). Also,
Power Role
Task Person

task culture makes the team create effective team dynamics which makes work more
productive and efficient.
Person Culture
Person culture creates self-confidence for the employees within the Waitrose retail
business. The employees of the Waitrose believe within themselves for the work assigned
to them. The standards of the Waitrose through the variety and working pattern and
process are trusted by the cultural and trust of the team through the greater for the work
for the people of Waitrose retail business (Al-Hussami et al., 2018).
Role Culture
Role culture of the Waitrose business organization shows the duties and responsibilities
which is given to the employees by the higher authorities and trust shown on to them.
Roles, duties and responsibilities of the Waitrose are basic and simple like from the hours
of work and productive and efficient space for the employee working in the organization.
As the nature of the Waitrose business organization is very wide which makes the role of
culture is important in the organization (Steers and Sánchez‐Runde, 2017).
Impact of Power & Politic in Waitrose
The impact of power and politics in the Waitrose business organization can be understood
as to have the power to authorize roles and responsibilities to the employees and politics
tactics as to make the employees to work efficiently without any power factor but with an
easy way like being friends (Vardi and Weitz, 2016). As being friends with the employees
can boost morale more often than not for most of the employees as friendly behaviour
works better than dictatorship. French and Raven's theory of power helps to understand
the impact of power in the Waitrose business organization. With respect to the theory of
power the coercive power, legitimate power, referent power and reward power can
restrain the process of work in the organization (Ljungholm, 2016).

Coercive Power
It is kind of straight forward type of power. Higher authorities and managers of the
Waitrose business organization use their power on employees to make them work. They
force employees to work with threating kind of things like if an employee doesn't work
they might lose their job. But in recent time Waitrose changes their working pattern from
Coercive Power to supporting nature (Hermann and Pagé, 2016).
Reward Power
It is a power which utilizes human nature to gain efficient work from the employees of the
business organization. Waitrose place reward system likes of bonus and incentives to make
the employees work efficiently in return to gain the reward (Campbell, 2015). It is a great
way to motivate employees to achieve business goals and objectives. Reward power is used
in informal and formal both ways to increase the performance of the employees within the
organization.
Legitimate Power
It is a type of power which comes from the designation of the person in the organization. In
Waitrose, managers have the power of their position which is used in employees to make
them work for achieving business goals (Al-Hussami et al., 2018).
Referent Power
Referent power refers to the influence of workers through the reputation of the person.
Top authorities and manager of Waitrose often influence their employees for effective
work by their positive image amongst the employees. It is kind of admiration and charm of
the management which works for their employees (Trong Tuan, 2017).
Expert Power
People with exceptional knowledge often get followers who follow them and regard them
as leader expert power is the same. In Waitrose as high authority having a vast amount of

experience often guides employees for effective work (Li and Ahlstrom, 2016). Become an
expert in anything more often than not employee follows the path which is decided by the
Expert.
These directions help the Waitrose business organization for making effective
organizational behaviour within the organization. It helps work of the employees effective
as well as efficient also helps to understand the behaviour against different leadership style
(Steers and Sánchez‐Runde, 2017).

LO2
P2 MOTIVATION THEORIES, MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES IN CONTEXT TO
EFFECTIVE ACHIEVEMENT OF GOALS IN WAITROSE
The often conflict between employees as the nature of the Waitrose business organization
leads to demotivation amongst the employees. Lack of motivation often disturb the
efficiency of the employees and make them ineffective in work (Vardi and Weitz, 2016).
Business can motivate employees again by using different content and process theories of
motivation. It is necessary to time to time motivate employees to achieving business goals
and objectives.
Aims and objectives of Waitrose
 Provide better customer satisfaction
 Maintain a healthy and fair environment within the business organization.
 Increase efficiency and productivity of the products and services
 Maximize the profit for the business organization.
Importance of Process and Content Theories
Content and process motivation theories like Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Adam's Equity
Theory, Herzberg's two-factor theory, Vroom’s Expectancy Theory etc. helps the business
organization to maintain the level of motivation within Waitrose business organization
which is required for effective and efficient work (Steers and Sánchez‐Runde, 2017). These
theories cover all aspect of human nature which is required to motivate employees. Some
of the motivation theories are:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs focuses on the various stages of the individual which is
required in his life for satisfaction. The factors of motivation included in the Maslow's
Hierarchy of needs area Physiological needs, safety factors, love/belongings, Esteem and
self-actualization (Li and Ahlstrom, 2016). The managers of Waitrose target those stages

which help to understand the needs of the employees and motivate them for better work.
Providing physiological needs to the employees bring a sense of work for them as food,
water, shelters are basic needs for living employees work to gain these things which
motivate them (Al-Hussami et al., 2018). Safety factor includes job satisfaction etc. also
provides motivation for efficient work has become permanent in the Waitrose is business
organization is all employees wanted and having job satisfaction brings more efficiency in
work for employees. Love/ belongings, esteem and self-actualization all influence the
individual for better work and manager target those areas to motivate employees.
Figure 2: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Source: Cooper, 2015
Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
This theory focuses on hygiene factors and healthy environment for motivational factors.
By creating a healthy environment for work for the employees motivates them to work,
treating them fairly, friendly staff, equal workloads, potential rewards and earning and
promotions are included which makes work environment healthy (Kim and Park, 2017).
Waitrose focuses on creating a healthy environment within the organization as well as
provide hygiene factors like the clean workplace, clean food and water facilities like these

motivates employees for work. By these factors of motivations employee never lose will of
work instead of individual always ready for work.
Figure 3: Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
Source: Kim and Park, 2017
Nonetheless, the factors of motivation can be applied to the salary and development which
saw as creating a team and effective techniques and strategies for the loyalty and trust for
the organization. Waitrose benefited by these activities which bring efficiency in work and
having a healthy environment (Müller and Labaronne, 2018).
Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
It focuses on the activities and process which are done to achieve success in the business
organization. Teams or individual considered that activities are the key part to achieve
success in the task or work. The basic rule of the theory is Success = Activities. If Waitrose
wants to achieve success the business needs to conduct and process certain activities to
gain success (Hermann and Pagé, 2016). There are 3 factors included in Vroom’s
Expectancy theory which are: Expectancy, Instrumentality and Valence.

Figure 4: Vroom’s Expectancy Theory
Source: Hermann and Pagé, 2016
Expectancy – It is the process in which individuals and group expect a good reward in
return for his efforts and activities conducted for business. employees of the Waitrose
expect a good salary, healthy environment, extra benefits for their hard efforts for the
Waitrose business organization and if not fulfilled it serve employees as the factor of
demotivation (Campbell, 2015).
Instrumentality – It is the bridge which links activity and goal. Employees expect a great
reward for their extra efforts and activities to make benefits for the business. Reward and
incentives are great motivation factors serve to employees as for their extra effort they
receive good rewards (Li and Ahlstrom, 2016).
Valence – It is the thought process in employees considers that the reward which is gained
through the extra effort is worth for that extra effort or not. Employees of the Waitrose
often consider this for their extra effort as by putting more effort and hard work for
effective work the reward and incentives they receive is equally having worth or not. If this
technique applies correctly it serves as a great motivation but if not these factors consider
the factors of demotivation for the employees (Müller and Labaronne, 2018).
This motivation theory serves the business organization as the process or guide to
understand the needs of the employees of the Waitrose and motivates them according to